The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-12-28
Public Libraries.


The growth Of pa bic libraries has been
one Of the mos; remarkable features Of
sh century progress. The British Mu-
seuai,. which il conprehensivenes takes
prece,lence Of all the great Libraries afthe
worii--its collecsinns even ~ s.reiru
l'teratArn. eanptrins x,ih fise- - ihe
countries 10 eliicli they srr.. fr,, ,iics~t--
was founded a. late as l553. Half cen
tury ago, when Tie late Sir A. Pdnizzi
took charge of it, It's printed books
numbered only 240000 They are now
considerably over 100000 As to the
other libraries Of the metropolis. and Of
the United Kiug'iesn, though their in
crease has not kept pace with that ofihe
museum, they have uaier-,ae very
marked development, an, han ir.. Is II
new libraries, general AMI special. public
AMI private, reference aid lending. and
both combined, have been e-s.bi -ied
throughout the coaniry.
II i in the free public libraries % the
towns, however, that the recor.le-I ALL
vance has been most extrr1riin4rv AMI
Of greatest utility to the conmuaiises
char have prodtej rs them VI Exart'-
Public Libraries act OF 1850. afnsn i,.i 10
succeeding years. gave a rei.s,ne impetus
TO the movement Over 100 cities ami
towns have rate supported Iibaries-in
accordance with the sets. though it is
noteworthy that some of the more Fapu-
lous centers still hold b.sck-heing. in
some cases, at least. supplied from other
sources. Il IS al the more to the credit
of the smaller towns that they have
availed themselves Of the provision masle
for them by the law, something ike 50
Of the public library towns having under
10000 inhAbittats. and of these about 80
not exceeding 5000 Some Of the towns
had NY beIuestsl she nucleus Of Libraries
when the acts came into force.
The Manchester Free Library wis the
drst to take advantage Of the act Of 1850
the library being opsnsl in 1852.
Liverpool, SlIforl, Npstingham Birning-
ham, Newcastle. Leeds. Bradford, Bristol.
Leicester and other places followed the
example. In Scotland, after 1854. the
act came into operation All Number Of
towns awaited themselves ofit Dlniee.
for instance. has public library Of be-
tween 5000 AMI lO.001 volumes. Until
recently Dundalk was the only irish
town that had male use of the act but
several Irish towns have fair libraries. 10
which the public has access. and an effort
has Of late been made 70 make a more
extended application Of the British sys-
tenn.
In nearly all the British colonies some
thing has been lone 90 supply the pnbiic
sith reading At sydney. y. :. W.
there is public library Of more than
5000 volumes, fr,m which books are
lent, and which Is open on San,lay.
Melbourne, Victoria, bus public library
Of between ll00o0 and l21000 volumes,
while Adelaide, 5. A. Brisbane, Queens
land Otigo anl Wellington, New Zsa-
land, AMI Hobart Town. tasmania, all.
give evidence, in ike manner. Of the
public spirit and intelligence Of our
Australian kinsmen. In iH.lia. South
Africa and the Wes; In,lies we find. in
varying proportions. the signs os ike in
liie. OR great library At Otta-
va Is. however, a. an Institution. equal
TO show the public library Of Meli~urne
heing is only rival in number Of hoaks,
though inlia and even S1uth Alria are
before It in manuscripts.
IN considering qu stion oi this kind
we cannot help glanriug at the United
States. From one point Of view the sur
vey gives no announcement In 1900.
date At Fhieh N population our neigh
s5rs taf re.1ciietf the stage AZ about
which we are to-day, all the libraries Of
United States did not exceed total Of
10000 volames To-,lty the aggregate u
not far from l4O10O00, Some time ago.
in connection with the HTvIrI bi cen
tennial celebration, we alinisi to the
iounda ion of the first public library in
what are now the United States.
The subscription library has ION been
a purely American institution. Nercan-
tile libraries are ftirly numerous. and of
historical, legal, scientific and specialists
libraries there is a pretty full supply
There are altogether about 80 libraries Of
1000 volumes. The Boston Public Ii
brary is getting up to its, 5O00OO: the
Astor, Of New York, to its 5000 Htr-
ward numbers over 10000; Yale. I7J,-
)00. The libary Of Congress, Washing
ton. has we'll on to 10000 The public
town libraries grew for the most part out
of the school collections. They arr still
mainly intended 70 serve the purpose Of
public education.
Besides these, every state and territory
has its own libary. 1t is the rule, indeed
in organizing new territory to make q
grant for that end To Us Ctnadians.
and to Us Montre.slers especially, the in
fFtEtANN " - W a. y AAHfatA tttE--
statistics Is obvious enough. Toronto,
lydiling Itself Of legislation based on that
lf the British act Of 1850. has shown that.
in the matter Of a public library, as IN
)ther things, when there's a will there's
a way. In Montreal we are differently
situated. Our forces are divided. Never
-heiess, the ground work Of union and
cooperation has been laid, and possibly
out ofthe movement that is now afoot
some plan nay be devised which will
lead the establishment Of "a public libra
~ worthy Of our ranks as city. and by
which all orr people may benefit
Things Worth Knowing.